Tracing device



J N. MEYERS.

TRACING DEVICE. APPLICATION mso 1AN.25, 1921.

1,421,975, Patented .my 4, 1922.

WITNESSES /N VEN 70H A TTORNEYS PATENT QFFICE.

J' NICHOLAS HEYEBS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, YENNSYLVANIA.

TBACIN'G DEVICE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 25, 1921. Serial No. 439,823.

,Toallwlaomtmay concem:

Be it known that I, J NICHOLAS MEYEns, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Tracing Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in educational appliances, and it pertains more particularly to a trac' device. Tracing devices have heretofore been constructed in the form of opaque glass with the writing surface positioned or held within wooden frames, but devices so constructed are incapable of withstanding the abuse to which they are subjected and become broken and unfit for use.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a tracing device which is simple in construction, cheap of manufacture, and, at the same time, is capable of withstanding the abuses to which it may be put without rendering thesame inoperative;

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and novel form of transparent writing surface.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a new and novel vform of writing surface in which the characters written thereon may be removed, leaving the surface plain for further use.

With the above and other objects in view,

reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of l.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a device constructed in accordance with the presentinvention comprises a base 5 and a transparent writing surface 6, said transparent writing surface 6 being hinged to the base 5 by a suitable iexible material 7. The base 5 may be constructed from any suitable rigid material, such as cardboard, wood, or the like,and said base is preferably rectangular in form. The writing surface 6 is constructed from celluloid or other suitable transparent material of a like nature, it being understood Vthat said writing surface in order to obtain the best results, should be of a exible character. The celluloid when employed as the material from which the writing surface is formed, is suitably roughened or otherwise prepared in order that it may take writing with ordinary lead pencil or the like.

T he hinge member 7 is preferably formed of en and the same is glued or otherwise secured to the base member 5 at a point designated by the reference character 8 and more clearly shown in Fig. 2, the other ed e of the hinge member 7 being secured to t e mg transparent writing surface 6, as by a line of stitching indicated by thev reference character 10. It is obvious, however, that the hinge member 7 may be secured to the writing surface 6 by gluing or otherwise, dependent upon the nature of the material used for the writing surface 6.

Pivotally secured to the base 5 by means of a rivet or the like 10 is a clasp 11, said clasp being substantially U-shaped in crosssectional form. This clasp 11 is preferably formed from celluloid in order that the same will not mar or scratch a desk, table, or other support upon which it is used. Itis obvious, however, that the clasp l1 may be formed of allliy suitable material, such as metal or the 1' e.

. The device operates in the following manner: A

The picture to be traced is indicated by the reference character 12 and the same is positioned upon the upper face of the base 5, after which the transparent writing surface 6 is folded over upon the base 5 .into engagement with the picture l2, as shown -in Fig. 2. The clasp 11 is now engaged with the lower edge 13 of the writing surface 6 the picture 12 is clamped upon the base d 5 b the writing surface 6.

gy empllofving the clasp 11 to engage the writing su ace 6, it will be seen that accidental displacement of the writing surface 6 relative to the base 5 is prevented since the clasp will prevent relative movement of these two elements.

"From the foregoing it is apparent that the Patented July 4, 1922.

present invention provides a device of this character in which the writing surface may' be maintained immovable with respect to the base, thus preventing accidental displacement of the writing surface relative to the picture being traced, and insuring at all times a proper positioning of the picture relative to the partially completed tracing upon the transparent writing surface. Furthermore, it is apparent that a device connesses may first be adjusted on tho bas-f, tlzen covered by said transparent copying surface and clamped between the two without disturbing t e articles, and a clasp pivotally carried by the relatively rigid base adapted to engage the transparent copying surface to effect an optional clamping of the article to be copied and the transparent copying member to the rigid base.

J NICHOLAS MEYERS. 

